I was sort of oblivious to how you use serums and I just assumed that they're similar to moisturizers. You hardly need a lot to fully cover the face and I just drop some on my fingers and massage it outwards on my face, especially focusing on the upper part of my face like my cheekbones and around my cheek bone and trouble areas. 

This serum is supposed to not only hydrate dry skin, but create a flawless, poreless finish and I really love the way it smoothes out my skin and blurs my pores. For the most part, it does a very nice job covering up my pores and I can notice the difference when I put on makeup with and without using the serum. I like to use this morning and night time; my skin feels so fresh and bouncy after I apply a thin layer onto my face. It's very refreshing and makes my skin have a healthy glow without looking greasy.

It's almost towards spring and I am incredibly excited for a major spring cleaning. I have already cleaned out my purse and that got me very psyched for more of the organizing and cleaning out that this new season brings. This will be a pretty short post, shorter than usual, but I thought it would be fun to share what I normally keep in my bag! I love reading these and finding out who puts what where and I always find new tips and tricks to keep my bag clean and easy to access my important goodz. 

This purse was a Christmas present I got this year and it is a Kate Spade crossbody, I have no idea what the name or type it is, and I have no available link. However, I'm sure if you just type in "black crossbody" across the interweb, you should probably come pretty close to finding it (let me know if you do!). I normally love to have a nice, quality wallet in my purse so everything is safe and secure. I think a friend gave this Louis Vuitton wallet to me, so again, I have no available source to find it or purchase it (sorry). I'm a huge believer in finding the perfect bag; one that will be with you forever and will practically last forever. Not only are these styles pretty classic and timeless, they're great quality purses (even if they were a bit more pricier). I also love hand-me-down bags because I feel like you can tell if they're really going to last if they look brand new after someone has used them.  

Some very valuable things I keep in here, besides my credentials and obviously money, are my Iphone 7, my car keys, a pair of my absolute favorite sunnies (these are from a cute boutique in Oklahoma), some Orbit chewing gum that I can't get enough of, bobby pins cuz ya know, a roller ball perfume, which I have also been loving recently. It's the Taylor Swift Wonderstruck rollerball perfume. It's very sweet and fruity. I also like to keep some Midol for cramps and other products like that, and I always make sure to have some type of stain remover. The Shout Remover Wipes are the bomb. You can use it wherever and whenever, give it to a friend, and just easily pack it for trips. Normally, I'll have some type of lip balm in my bag and I have been obsessed with the EOS Summer Fruit lip balm and have to resist from eating it (lol). 

It's two days after Valentine's Day and is pretty much half way into the month already and I'm writing about my February goals. Good going, Nat. I guess I'm just too excited for the warmer weather that's approaching and I'm actually ready for this month to be over. I feel like I slowed into the new year in January and now things seem to be picking up. Btw, I was kind of inspired by Katelavie, who I adore, to do this "goals" type post, so let me know if you guys like these types of things. 

College searching is done and decision day is in about three months already. It's crazy to think that time has flown. While, I'd like to share my college choices and all, I feel like I should talk about it once I decide on the right college for me...which will be soon...probably in March to be exact. While that's been stressing me out this past month, I have been doing tons of yoga. Like tons. 

One of my goals for this year was to really focus on being healthier and just doing better things for my body and since the beginning of Fall, I feel like my body has really changed and I think I am the healthiest (touch wood) I've ever been. Although, I did eat like two corn dogs yesterday, but you know, you win some you lose some. 

01. I really feel like I need to stop worrying so much. Out of all the years in high school, you'd never think that Senior year would be the most stressful. Well, it is. There's no testing or anything and the workload has been pretty okay, but I swear, it feels like I'm being pressured into telling everyone about my future and where I'm going and there's so much more prepping and planning for events like prom and graduation. I've just felt bombarded with stuff and I can't wait for all of it to be figured out and this weight on my shoulders can just be lifted off. 

02. I'm going on a few field trips with my fashion merchandising class which I am absolutely psyched for. I decided to take a few electives this year to kind of relax and have more fun (since it is my senior year) and I have really loved it so far. We are going downtown into Chicago to Nordstrom to learn about the ambassador program and all things behind the business and retail empire. I am really looking forward to it since this it totally up my alley. We are also going to a student run fashion show the week after which I am beyond excited to attend. These are the types of opportunities I'm looking for in college and with my job, so I can't believe I get to do it now. 

03. I'm going to Disney World! Another big trip I am going on in late March is with my marching band to Disney. A once in a lifetime opportunity that I would never have went on if it wasn't my last year in high school. The last time I was there was about 5 years ago and I can't wait to see what's new and go to the Hogwarts world in Universal. 

04. I have been waiting and waiting for it to be warmer. Lately, in Chicago, it has been slightly warming up and I think it's supposed to be in the 60s next week if you can believe it (since it's pretty much Antarctica here). I really want to keep buying fresh flowers. My dad always says that "life's too short to not buy yourself fresh flowers every once and awhile," and I completely agree. While my mom thinks it's excessive to buy yourself flowers all the time, I just love it. I'm hoping to stay on the lookout for peonies this year, because I struggled to find any later in the summer. 

05. Hopefully, my blog will continue to grow this year. I'm hoping to have a lot more great things in store as I start to go on trips and do more things once it gets warmer. I'm convinced to do at least one or two more lookbooks outside as soon as it gets nicer out. I don't personally like doing them because it takes a lot of time and I need someone to help do it, but sometimes I just get into the modeling mood. Plus, I bought some new spring stuff already and I'm just so eager to wear them even though it's 40 degrees out still. 

How's your February going so far? 

Happy Valentine's Day lovelies! I'm not one to personally love the idea of Valentine's Day, sometimes I think it's just a consumer holiday, but I'm not gonna just hate on the day that's about love and all things candy hearts, roses, and enjoying time with everyone you care about. In all silliness, it's honestly just a fun day to write about. I was inspired to do a collective "pink favorites" in the spirit of V-Day and realized that I actually have a lot of pink products even though I hardly prefer to wear pink. 

On my cheeks, I have been loving Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful. It has been the perfect peachy pink shade on my cheeks. I think it will look perfect in the springtime and isn't too overly pigmented. I have also enjoyed the way that the Nyx Blush in Hamptons is a bit of a step up from the Tarte one on the pink level. It's more of a watermelon pink and is a great shade for the wintery months and gives the perfect wind-kissed look. 

I have been recently grabbing this Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation more now and forgot how much coverage it gave. It's a very beautiful foundation and seamlessly covers up imperfections. It does a great job at keeping my skin looking smooth and doesn't overly make it matte which I sometimes like (since it's an oil-free foundation). 

There wasn't really anything for eyes in my collection that was pink besides the eyeshadow/highlighter, but I thought I could throw in the Maybelline Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara as a product that counts. And it truly does. I've been using this so much lately and love how it really opens up my eyes and gives my lashes great length and volume. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this cute, themed Valentine's Day post. I wish all of you the loveliest of days filled with laughter and of course, LOVE! No matter what the circumstance, lover or not, there shouldn't be any reason to slum on this heart-filled day. Love yourself and eat that whole box of chocolates because you damn right can!

These body butters are priced at a whopping $22 and are not inexpensive at all. However, smart Natalie figured out that TJ Maxx (or TK Maxx for my British folks), Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack, and Ross normally have these full sized body butters for about $6. Please do not go to the Body Shop or Ulta unless you are looking for a specific scent. I would highly recommend checking out those places for some really good deals on Body Shop products. 

My favorite scent out of all of the ones they offer is Mango. Mango scented stuff from the Body Shop smells so fruity, sweet, and fresh. I love fruit scented products and Mango has to be the best in my opinion. I have had miniature body butters of this and I walked into a TJ Maxx one day and totally scored. 

Everyone has their signature scent and I definitely think this one is mine from the Body Shop. I love using this after I shower as an all-over-body moisturizer. 

These next two I got as gifts and really love them, but just not as much as the Mango one. On the left, I have Papaya and the right I have the Fuji Green Tea body butter. The Papaya is a little bit sweet and is similar to Mango; it is just more fresh if that makes sense. The Mango is a lot more sweeter than the Papaya. 

These last items were gifted to me for Christmas from my friend Ellaby. This was a mini gift set called the Mango Treats Gift Set which was a small box and it included both this mini gel and lotion, plus a mini loofa. The loofa was so cute because the handle came out of the box like a little ornament! I was really excited to try out more of the different types of products the Body Shop has especially the shower gel (and because I needed a new one). What have been your guys' top scent or product at the Body Shop?

I thought it was about time to do an updated travel makeup bag post and I am so excited to show you all what I normally bring on adventures. To be quite honest, I actually love packing and organizing things for trips so I find this kind of fun to read and talk about. I am also always curious to see what different types of products and sizes of products people bring on trips. 

It inspires me to be smarter or more thoughtful about the things I take and have to leave behind when I am limited to so many items, especially on flights. I know that brands are becoming more accommodating to travel and create tons of travel sized products to make it easier to bring along wherever we go. Here's what I currently have in my travel makeup bag...  

For lips, I have this mini Makeup Forever lip gloss in Sweet Pink that I really like to add a bit of pigmentation and shine to my lips. I normally use it when I go out to eat or something like that. Great for touchups! 

I also make sure to have a natural colored eye pencil and this is the current one I'm using right now; it's the Covergirl Perfect Blend Liner in Mink. Sometimes, I can get away with using it as an eyebrow pencil and it works perfectly. It's very smooth and easy to use. 

I usually make sure to always have a powder with me. Foundation is debatable depending on where I'm headed, but powder for me is always a must. I never want to be in that sticky situation where I can't powder my face because I "forgot" to bring it on a trip. I just can't and won't. The Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent is a lifesaver when it comes to mattifying my skin. It's a classic and it comes with me everywhere. 

I also make sure to have an eyeshadow primer because one of the worst things to have to worry about on a trip is whether or not your eyeshadow will crease or run off your lids. I find that the Urban Decay Primer Potion is probably the best primer for your eyes out there. It's not sticky and definitely does the job. 

On the topic of primers, I also love to keep a mini Benefit Porefessional with me as well. I only use a pea size amount and especially during the summer I like to use this under tinted moisturizers or BB creams. It seamlessly hides my pores and makes a very soft and smooth base for my makeup. I personally love the smell of it and it's just one of those staple products to have, I guess. 

Now that "baking" is becoming more popular, I have decided to give it a go myself and have really liked the way it prevents my skin from becoming oily quicker. I travel with this mini Mary Kay Translucent Powder that I am really impressed by and love the way it makes my makeup last. 

Sometimes, I like to have a couple foundations in my makeup bag to try out or sometimes I get samples and just toss them in my bag to use when I'm on a trip because they're usually so conveniently small. The first foundation I have in my bag is the Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation. It's a very light to medium coverage and I like to use this more in the summertime because it gives a great natural finish. Then I also have the Clinique Superbalanced foundation which is a bit heavier coverage and is very smooth on the skin and is great for sensitive skin like mine.

Then I have this mini Stay Don't Stray Primer which is another eye shadow primer that I have been meaning to use up and got in a Christmas gift set one year. I don't particularly love this one as much as the Urban Decay Primer Potion, but it gets the job done for the most part. I like the doe-foot applicator a lot. 

Normally on trips I don't bring palettes, but I like to bring duos and trios to have a bit of variation with my eye looks because I never really know where or what I'm going to be doing so, it's always good to have options. Right now I have this Wet' n 'Wild Silent Treatment trio in my bag and I really love the smokey look I can make with it or just use the browbone shade on my eyelid for a more glowy, natural look. The shadows are so pigmented, I can't EVEN. The two little brushes are helpful sometimes, but are kind of in the way because they always fall out of the tray when I open it. Moreover, my mascara usually changes every couple months, so right now I have my mini Benefit Roller Lash mascara. It gives the perfect curl and is very easy to apply with since it's so small. I'm obsessed with it and need to buy the full size, pronto. 

Last, but not least, is the Smashbox Photo Finish Under Eye Primer. I just included this because it was in my bag anyway and why the heck not? Primers are awesome! Especially this one. I like to put this under my eyes and use it like concealer since I don't normally pack it, and then I top it off with foundation and powder. That's what I love to use before I bake with my translucent powder, too. It helps to prevent any creasing and can suffice as a faux concealer. What's in your travel makeup bag?

I was very happy with the formula of these lipsticks because they have great staying power and really do last a very long time. That's what everybody want's from a matte liquid lipstick, right? I really fell in love with the colors I chose. The more nude one is more brown toned and looks great paired with any eye look really. However, the shade that I loved more and thought was a bit more me was the pinker shade I bought. It's your classic blush nude and I really like the way it makes my lips look. 

For what it's worth, these aren't your praised, Kylie Jenner Lip Kits, but they might just be better. They're not 30 dollars and the formula, to me is probably similar or at least almost as good. I have never bought a Kylie Lip Kit, so obviously I'm not an expert, but I feel like these would be great dupes. They really do "glide on like butter" and mattify pretty quickly. These don't smell as great as the Kylie Lip Kits probably do, and that's just a minor thing I noticed when I first put them on. I'm glad that's all I noticed though because the formula, pigmentation, and staying power have really impressed me. 

I think I am getting more into matte things, because it's easier to maintain and put on for the most part. I just never liked it when matte lipsticks made my lips look dry and unappealing. We all want kissable lips and many lipsticks never really achieved that, besides these that are actually pretty moisturizing. I tried using a lip scrub and then lip balm before applying these just to make sure that my lips were smooth throughout the application and ensure that they aren't going to crumble, which really helped. 

I think these are great as everyday lipsticks or even party and evening lipsticks. They have a very wide range of shades that I'm sure anyone could love if they're looking for a new matte lipstick. Have you tried these yet?